A new collaboration agreement was signed between the Public Works Department of the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Works and the KIOS Center of Excellence at the University of Cyprus, on the 24th of July 2023. The two parties will work together on the updating and reporting (via automated exchange) of data related to the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) of Cyprus with the European Commission, through the Commission’s information system/database “TENtec”.
The trans-European transport network policy is a key tool for the development of coherent, efficient, multimodal, and high-quality transport infrastructure across the EU. It comprises a network of railways, inland waterways, short sea shipping routes and roads linking urban nodes, maritime and inland ports, airports, and terminals. To coordinate and support this policy, the European Commission developed the electronic database “TENtec” so that each Member State can input technical, geographical, and financial data related to their transport infrastructure.
The Public Works Department and the KIOS CoE will collaborate to collect information and data related to Cyprus’ transport infrastructure using Geographical Information Systems as well as to exchange data with the European Commission and other Member States. Moreover, this collaboration will contribute to the improvement and integration of all databases related to transport networks (road, maritime, air). As a result, the TENtec database system will become a powerful tool both for the European Commission and Cyprus, since all information and data related to transport infrastructures will be updated and automated, thus facilitating infrastructure projects for the EU.
The Public Works Department Deputy Director, Mrs. Eleni Kaskiri said that this project is fully funded by the EU fund “Connecting Europe Facility” for transport, and it is very important for Cyprus and for the EU, as it aims to automate the exchange of data of transport networks between the European Commission and the Member States. This endeavor, she continued, will contribute to the technological upgrading of the databases maintained by the Public Works Department and the Ministry of Transport and at the same time it will be used by the European Commission in the evaluation process of competitive proposals for funding infrastructure projects submitted by Cyprus and other Member States.
The KIOS CoE Deputy Director, Prof. Christos Panayiotou, mentioned that the TENtec Project marks a significant milestone in Cyprus’s commitment to the EU for enhancing transport connectivity and sustainability. KIOS CoE in collaboration with the Public Works Department, he continued, will implement digital and automated tools to improve connectivity, safety, and sustainability of Cyprus’ transport networks.
